Battle vs Chess (Check vs Mate) is a fantasy chess game with the chess pieces being replaced by courageous knights and demonic creatures. The game was developed by Targem Games and Zuxxez Entertainment. It was published by TopWare Interactive in 2011 and it is available on PC (Windows, Mac). It runs on the Dagor Engine 3.0.Gameplay and game modesBattle vs Chess is rendered in 3D and allows to freely move the camera around. The game represents the battle between good and evil – the chessboard is a battlefield, and the chess pieces are replaced by animated fantasy figures.The game offers both single- and multi-player modes. The single-player consists of Skirmish, Battlegrounds, and Campaign, with an addition of the Tutorial and Minigames.The Skirmish is a traditional chess game.The Battlegrounds is the innovative variation of the chess game, where pieces need to fight each other to capture the square. It is further split between Duel and Slasher modes – in Duel, the battling pieces will fight 1v1, and you will need to complete the combat minigame to win the duel. In slasher, however, multiple pieces will participate in a real-time arcade battle – you will command one of the chessmen, and the others will fight on their own.The Campaign is a narrative mode consisting of a set of increasingly difficult challenges, each with unique mechanics. For example, one mission may let you fight against overwhelming enemy forces, the other will let you summon pieces whenever you need them, and the other will feature mines exploding upon entering the square.ReceptionBattle versus Chess received positive reviews and was a warmly welcomed variation of chess. Players and reviewers alike praised the multitude of available modes, as well as smooth animations of the fighting chessmen.